The Most Powerful Marketing Force Today (And How to Cash in on It)

For anyone building a business today, whether online or offline, there are many marketing strategies to choose from.

The Internet has opened up doorways to sales success that businesses a generation ago only dreamed about.

And many “old school” techniques like attending local networking events bring consistent and fantastic results for many small business owners.

But one marketing force in particular is more powerful today than any other.

People who use it that readers will recognize include Oprah, Jon Stewart, Dr. Oz, and Simon Cowell. People who use it that readers won’t necessarily recognize include Dan Kennedy, Kris Ruby, Darren Williger, and Darcelle.

And no, I am not talking about personal branding, although personal branding is a part of it.

So what is this most powerful marketing force I’m referring to?

It’s called celebrity, and having it is the fastest way of blasting your business into the stratosphere.

In a nutshell, celebrity is when other people are writing and talking about you in publications, on television, on the radio, or on the Internet.

The great news about celebrity is you don’t need a level of fame “as seen on Oprah” to cash in on this force. Some of the wealthiest people have names no one has ever heard of (like the list I wrote above), those “millionaires next door” Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko wrote about in their best-selling book The Millionaire Next Door.

Mike Dillard is another perfect example of someone who has achieved celebrity status among a certain group of people, namely Internet and Network Marketers, yet retains his anonymity in a general sense: the perfect combination of privacy and publicity, in my opinion.

A terrific goal for any small business owner is to become famous among a select few, and go from there. Not only will you not have paparazzi camped out on your front lawn night and day hoping to catch a shot of you picking your nose as you walk outside to get the morning paper, but you will also be privvy to traveling around anonymously while still reaping the benefits of your fame.

The key to success with using celebrity as a marketing force to boost your business sales is to strategically and selectively seek out publicity, rather than allow the whims of fate to determine it.

Some specific ways to gain celebrity include but are not limited to the following ideas:

• Write a book
• Become known locally as an expert on something and volunteer to speak at local meetings like Chamber of Commerce luncheons or Rotary Club gatherings
• Send out press releases about small wins in your business
• Create free webinars in your area of expertise and invite your social media friends to attend

Becoming a celebrity in this day and age doesn’t take as long as it once did, but it still requires planning and effort. If you are truly serious about moving your business to the next level, the power of being a celebrity will serve you well.

What are your experiences with celebrity? Do you have direct experience with this marketing force or know someone personally who does? If you have reached celebrity status, what was the journey like for you? Tell us about it and leave your comments! And do pass along to your friends in the Social Media communities!